Method for producing catheter tube

Abstract

The present application relates to a method for producing a catheter tube. The method including sucking gas from a second end 43 of a tubular body 40 while introducing pressurized gas into a lumen 41 of the tubular body 40 from a first end 42 of the tubular body 40, so that an internal pressure is applied to the lumen 41 of the tubular body 40 by introducing the pressurized gas, and the tubular body 40 is delivered in a direction from the first end 42 to the second end 43 by sucking the gas from the second end 43 of the tubular body 40.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for producing a catheter tube, the method comprising sucking gas from a second end of a tubular body while introducing pressurized gas into a lumen of the tubular body from a first end of the tubular body, so that an internal pressure is applied to the lumen of the tubular body by introducing the pressurized gas, and the first end and the second end of the tubular body are delivered in a direction from the first end of the tubular body to the second end of the tubular body, while maintaining relative positions of the first and the second ends of the tubular body, by sucking the gas from the second end of the tubular body. 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , the method further comprising
 performing at least one of pressurization, heating, stretching, and blow molding of the tubular body to form the tubular body into a predetermined shape. 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the second end of the tubular body is sealed, and 
 the method further comprises: 
 performing at least one of pressurization, heating, stretching, and blow molding of the tubular body to form the tubular body into a predetermined shape; and 
 cutting a second end portion of the tubular body to allow the lumen at the second end to communicate with an outside of the tubular body. 
 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a second end portion of the tubular body is sealed. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubular body has a portion smaller in outer diameter than the first end of the tubular body, the portion being located closer to the second end rather than the first end of the tubular body. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprises arranging the tubular body and a device configured to deliver the tubular body, wherein
 the device comprises:
 a hollow body having a hollow portion extending from a first end to a second end of the hollow body; 
 a pressure portion disposed at the first end of the hollow body and connectable to the tubular body so as to introduce the pressurized gas into the lumen of the tubular body; and 
 a negative pressure portion disposed at the second end of the hollow body and connected to the hollow body so as to suck gas from the hollow portion of the hollow body, and 
 
 the pressure portion is connected to the tubular body. 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the device further comprises 
 a first holding portion disposed between the pressure portion and the hollow body, the first holding portion holding a first end portion of the tubular body, and 
 a second holding portion disposed between the hollow body and the negative pressure portion, the second holding portion holding a second end portion of the tubular body delivered toward the second end of the hollow body. 
 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein
 each of the first holding portion and the second holding portion includes one or more chuck pieces. 
 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the device further comprises 
 a first seal portion disposed between the pressure portion and the first end portion of the tubular body, the first seal portion sealing a gap between the pressure portion and the tubular body, and 
 a second seal portion disposed between the hollow body and the negative pressure portion, the second seal portion sealing a gap between the hollow body and the negative pressure portion. 
 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein
 the device further comprises a second drive mechanism configured to move at least one of the pressure portion, the first holding portion, and the first seal portion in an extending direction of the hollow portion. 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the method includes:
 holding the first end portion of the tubular body with the first holding portion; 
 sealing a gap between the first holding portion and the tubular body with the first seal portion; 
 connecting the pressure portion to the first end of the tubular body and introducing the pressurized gas into the lumen of the tubular body with the pressure portion; 
 sealing the gap between the hollow body and the negative pressure portion with the second seal portion; 
 moving the pressure portion and the tubular body toward the hollow portion so that a part of the tubular body is disposed in the hollow portion; 
 sucking the gas in the hollow portion of the hollow body with the negative pressure portion so that the tubular body is delivered toward the second end of the hollow body; 
 and holding the second end portion of the tubular body with the second holding portion. 
 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the device further comprises a first drive mechanism configured to move at least one of the pressure portion and the first holding portion in an extending direction of the hollow portion. 
 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein
 in the sucking gas from the second end of the tubular body, at the second end of the tubular body, the gas sucked by the negative pressure portion is larger in amount than gas discharged from the lumen of the tubular body. 
 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein
 a difference between a diameter of the hollow portion at the second end of the hollow body and an outer diameter at the second end of the tubular body is larger than a difference between a diameter of the hollow portion at the first end of the hollow body and a maximum outer diameter of the tubular body. 
 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the device further comprises a support portion disposed between the hollow body and the pressure portion, the support portion supporting the tubular body. 
 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the hollow body comprises a metal mold for blow molding. 
 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubular body has the lumen penetrating from the first end of the tubular body to the second end of the tubular body. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 1 , the method further comprises:
 holding a second end portion of the tubular body outside the tubular body after sucking gas from the second end of the tubular body while introducing pressurized gas into the lumen of the tubular body from the first end of the tubular body. 
 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 1 , the method further comprises:
 arranging the tubular body and a device configured to deliver the tubular body, the device comprising a hollow body having a hollow portion extending from a first end to a second end of the hollow body, the hollow portion being provided to penetrate from the first end to the second end of the hollow body, the hollow portion having a suction port at the second end, the suction port having an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the tubular body, before sucking gas from the second end of the tubular body while introducing pressurized gas into the lumen of the tubular body from the first end of the tubular body. 
 
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the tubular body is delivered into a hollow portion of a hollow body, the hollow portion extending from a first end to a second end of the hollow body.